1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a face mask and as an example to a face mask which may be manufactured inexpensively and therefore may be disposable. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a molded face mask which has a particular physical configuration for providing for a better seal between portions of the face mask to prevent air from passing between portions of the face mask and the face of the wearer. The present invention is an improvement on an earlier filed application Ser. No. 166,315 filed July 17, 1980 and assigned to the same assignee as the instant application. The present invention specifically includes an improved physical structure in the nose bridge area to insure a seal between the face mask and the face of the wearer.
The face mask of the present invention may be used in a variety of different applications. For example, such face masks may be sterilized and then used as surgical masks and with the masks discarded after a single use. Other uses of the face mask of the present invention may be for various industrial applications so as to filter out particles of dust or dirt. In such industrial environments the mask may be used more than once and then discarded when the mask no longer provides for adequate filtering.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, disposable face masks have been used and with such masks molded from a sheet or bat of fibers by placing the fiber sheet or bat between dies and with the application of heat and pressure provided for molding the mask to a desired configuration. Reference is made, for example, to U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,409 issued Nov. 30, 1965 and listing Liloia and Bird and the inventors and which patent describes a prior art type of molded face mask.
During the molding of the face mask described in patent 3,220,409, portions of the mask are tightly compacted or compressed relative to other portions of the mask. Specifically in the above-referenced patent the fibers are tightly compacted or compressed in the nose area and along the valleys of flutes in the mask and in a rim area. The use of these tightly compacted areas provides for a mask which has substantial structural strength so as to maintain the molded shape.